State Parks are back in business! For less than the cost of tickets to the movies, a family can spend an afternoon or an entire vacation exploring their state parks. Read More

1

2

3

›‹

Statement from Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego)

“The Governor’s signature is the next step for a prudent and progressive budget that will make California a better place to live, work and play. We are sending more money to schools, helping working families by expanding child care and preschool and establishing a state Earned Income Tax Credit, and we improve higher education funding and financial aid. The budget the Governor signed today makes important investments and pays down debt while adding to state reserves. It is not only a reflection of our state’s economic health, but a plan that will continue to help build California’s fiscal fitness.

“While the budget signed today is clearly the best one we’ve had in years, there is more work to do on Medi-Cal, DDS and infrastructure. Today, I will be appointing the members of the Assembly committees for the special sessions that have been called on health care and infrastructure. Those committees will take the lead in resolving the important issues still before us.”

“The Governor’s signature is the next step for a prudent and progressive budget that will make California a better place to live, work and play. We are sending more money to schools, helping working families by expanding child care and preschool and establishing a state Earned Income Tax Credit, and we improve higher education funding and financial aid. The budget the Governor signed today makes important investments and pays down debt while adding to state reserves. It is not only a reflection of our state’s economic health, but a plan that will continue to help build California’s fiscal fitness.

“While the budget signed today is clearly the best one we’ve had in years, there is more work to do on Medi-Cal, DDS and infrastructure. Today, I will be appointing the members of the Assembly committees for the special sessions that have been called on health care and infrastructure. Those committees will take the lead in resolving the important issues still before us.”

In May, Assemblywoman Shirley Weber and I gathered reporters for a briefing on the priorities that we and our Democratic colleagues would push for inclusion in the state budget.

We called for increased funding for schools, child care and preschool. We proposed a state Earned Income Tax Credit to help the working poor. And we called for improvements to higher education, financial aid and the middle-class scholarship. We emphasized that these priorities would be subject to negotiation with Gov. Jerry Brown and that it would be unreasonable to expect to get everything we wanted.

In May, Assemblywoman Shirley Weber and I gathered reporters for a briefing on the priorities that we and our Democratic colleagues would push for inclusion in the state budget.

We called for increased funding for schools, child care and preschool. We proposed a state Earned Income Tax Credit to help the working poor. And we called for improvements to higher education, financial aid and the middle-class scholarship. We emphasized that these priorities would be subject to negotiation with Gov. Jerry Brown and that it would be unreasonable to expect to get everything we wanted.

SACRAMENTO—Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) released the following statement regarding the Superior Court’s decision to grant Attorney General Kamala Harris’ request to not issue title and summary for the “Sodomite Suppression Act,” an offensive and dangerous ballot initiative:

“The court has brought an appropriate end to this disturbing episode. LGBT Californians shouldn't be threatened and our initiative process shouldn't be hijacked. Let's hope it's the last time our system is abused to promote the political equivalent of toxic waste.”

SACRAMENTO—Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) released the following statement regarding the Superior Court’s decision to grant Attorney General Kamala Harris’ request to not issue title and summary for the “Sodomite Suppression Act,” an offensive and dangerous ballot initiative:

“The court has brought an appropriate end to this disturbing episode. LGBT Californians shouldn't be threatened and our initiative process shouldn't be hijacked. Let's hope it's the last time our system is abused to promote the political equivalent of toxic waste.”

SACRAMENTO—A bill by Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins that would ensure the permanence of the San Diego River Conservancy passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee today.

“Over the past 13 years the San Diego River Conservancy has established its value in the region,” said Speaker Atkins (D-San Diego). “The Conservancy has allocated $20 million in state funds for the watershed while leveraging millions more in federal, local and private funds. A permanent San Diego River Conservancy will strengthen this resource for future generations.”

SACRAMENTO—A bill by Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins that would ensure the permanence of the San Diego River Conservancy passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee today.

“Over the past 13 years the San Diego River Conservancy has established its value in the region,” said Speaker Atkins (D-San Diego). “The Conservancy has allocated $20 million in state funds for the watershed while leveraging millions more in federal, local and private funds. A permanent San Diego River Conservancy will strengthen this resource for future generations.”

SACRAMENTO—Legislation that would close loopholes that prevent the effective enforcement of existing California law prohibiting the sale of ivory passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee today. AB 96, by Speaker Toni G. Atkins and Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), would help prevent the extinction of elephants and rhinos.

“California is a top market for ivory with illegal sales of ivory estimated to have doubled over the past eight years,” said Speaker Atkins (D-San Diego). “On average, 96 elephants per day are killed for their ivory, translating into an average of over 35,000 elephants per year. This is a violent, brutal business from start to finish as elephants and rhinos are often still alive as poachers begin the gruesome process of extracting the ivory. By passing AB 96, we make it harder for illegal sellers to hide and we better protect elephants and rhinos from senseless slaughter and extinction.”

SACRAMENTO—Legislation that would close loopholes that prevent the effective enforcement of existing California law prohibiting the sale of ivory passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee today. AB 96, by Speaker Toni G. Atkins and Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), would help prevent the extinction of elephants and rhinos.

“California is a top market for ivory with illegal sales of ivory estimated to have doubled over the past eight years,” said Speaker Atkins (D-San Diego). “On average, 96 elephants per day are killed for their ivory, translating into an average of over 35,000 elephants per year. This is a violent, brutal business from start to finish as elephants and rhinos are often still alive as poachers begin the gruesome process of extracting the ivory. By passing AB 96, we make it harder for illegal sellers to hide and we better protect elephants and rhinos from senseless slaughter and extinction.”

SACRAMENTO—The California State Assembly today approved a revised version of the budget passed on Monday, which will now go to Governor Brown for action. If signed by July 1, this will be California’s fifth consecutive on-time, balanced budget.

“The budget we sent to the Governor today reflects many of the top priorities of Assembly Democrats,” said Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego). “This budget will reduce poverty, restore much-needed funding for schools and early childhood education, establish a state Earned Income Tax Credit that benefits over 2 million Californians and increases funding for higher education while building reserves and paying down debt. Although this budget addressed key issues, there is still more work to be done for the developmental disabilities community and on Medi-Cal rates, transportation and infrastructure, and I look forward to working with my Assembly colleagues, the Senate, and the Governor to resolve these important issues.”